What illnesses are classed as been exempt from having to attend a PIP assessment — Scope | Disability forum
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What illnesses are classed as been exempt from having to attend a PIP assessment

jose2
jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering
@jose2 Are there any special circumstances,
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Comments

  • Nystagmite
    Nystagmite Community member Posts: 596 Pioneering
    Only if your illness if terminal and your death can reasonably expected within the next 6 months.

    Most people have to attend. Sometimes, they can make a decision with the information they have. But most of us have to attend.
  • crafter
    crafter Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    DWP make a decision 3 of the people I know haven't had to attend a F2F if they feel there is enough evidence not to warrant an F2F but again I feel this is like a lottery, I can understand why 2 of them didn't as they don't talk or communicate and medical evidence was supplied re; this the other one was lucky but most people have to attend an F2F
  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    It's not DWP that make the decision as to whether a f2f is necessary it's the assessment companies ATOS or CAPITA. It's based on medical evidence and it's worth remembering that anything to do with the medical side of things is sent back to these companies because DWP staff have no medical knowledge whatsoever.
  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering
    May I ask ,have any of you been given a time frame as to when your next f2f assessment will be,I will be 71 years old when they want me to attend next one.
  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering
    If I live that long
  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    @jose2 I'm 66 and have been given 3 years and as they contact you a year before (I read somewhere) then it'll be 2 years. What a waste of money. I would have to die and be born again healthy as most of my disabilities are due to life traumas, botched operations and car crashes they will only get worse. That's why I didn't want to go to a Tribunal cause I'd probably have to do that again in only 2 years. I believe if DWP hadn't increased it themselves they would try and reduce my benefit at the earliest opportunity.   
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    edited May 2017
    The DWP say that it might not be necessary for assessment companies to do f2f in the case of long-term, degenerative diseases.  But assessment companies are ignoring this guidance and doing f2f anyway in nearly all cases:  they are afraid of recriminations from DWP if they don't do f2f.

    @jose2.  The timeframes vary.  God knows how they are worked out - maybe a benefits advisor would have a good idea. There is no age limit for PIP reassessments once you have been given a PIP award.   

    I was given five years but if I win my appeal I hope that may be increased.

    @wildlife.  Atos/Capita don't have much medical knowledge, either!
  • Nystagmite
    Nystagmite Community member Posts: 596 Pioneering
    edited May 2017
    I was given 10 years, thankfully.
  • Markmywords
    Markmywords Community member Posts: 419 Pioneering
    The court ordered the DWP to put no time limit on me. From two years that's quite a change eh?
  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering
    @Matilda, I too don't know how they've worked it out about time frames,I wrote to my MP about this too,about only given 3 years before they want me back again,my illness is terminal and progressive,I know I/we don't know when anyone is going  to die,along with other illnesses I have they are not going to change in 3 years or even 5 years.And as you too looks like they would try and reduce it in that time frame again ,and having to go through all what's happened this last 2 months has taken its toll on me .
    I have been thinking about getting a DL1500 form filled out by my oncologist/DR,as I read on McMillan web there are special circumstances that I could get one,and that it's not necessarily for people just having 6 months to live,anyone got any comments on that,I am holding back at the moment enquiring about it as yet.As I'm not too sure if you claim PIP you can't get this as well.
    I was quite taken aback when I saw the time frame for another PIP assessment. 

  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    @jose2

    Assessors and DWP don't know what they are doing, just muddling through at best and leaving a trail of misery in their wake.

    A benefits advisor will be able to tell you about DL1500.


  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering
    Thanks for that @Matilda,  DL1500 form looks quite daunting ,will ask benefit adviser, we shouldn't have to fight constantly to prove that we are really ill, I went round and round in circles explaining all illnesses ,giving descriptors for each and every one ,some of illnesses are quite complex,lot of autoimmune diseases .In the end they finally had Atos Professional look at my medical records I sent.Goodness knows why that wasn't done after 1st assessment.They even had all this info before I even went for an assessment .And also I was given life award back in 2003 for one autoimmune disease,(it will never go away,if anything it has got worse) I had then ,the world is going crazy.

  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    @jose2.  You're welcome.

    I feel as though I've been jumping over barriers with PIP since last August!  And my PIP hurdle course hasn't been anything like as bad as many!  Next hurdle, tribunal hearing on 24 May.

    Assessors don't know a serious disease from a slight cold.
  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering
    Gosh @Matilda, that's awful,keeping my fingers crossed for you that all goes well for you,will watch for your posts and that in 2 weeks or so time that you will have an understanding judge etc! and your plight with all this will have a happy outcome.
    I've had this hanging over my head for 2 months or so,thought that's been bad enough nearly sent myself mad ,good thing no-one lives with me ,sure I'd have sent them crazy too,going over and over everything ,as I was totally miffed with first result.
    Looking at posts on Scope and Works and Benefits ,one, where an assessor asked this lady to stand on her tip- toes and told her husband to shut up ! ,she said she couldn't stand on her tip-toes and when she got her assessment report back the assessor said she refused.What's she supposed to do ,suddenly turn into a ballerina for an assessment .I was so shocked when I read that post and especially when they told her husband to shut up!,they penalise you for having someone with you or they penalise you if you don't take or have anyone with you.I personally think all assessments should be filmed from beginning to end ,then any rudeness or asking a disabled person to do something which is impossible to do would be captured on film. 


  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    Hi jose2,

    As others have explained, there are no conditions that exempt you, except terminal illness.

    Regarding the DS1500, I'm sorry, but for the purposes of benefits the definition of terminal illness is 'death...can reasonably be expected within 6 months'. There aren't any other special circumstances, but ALL your conditions should be taken into account in making the prognosis.

    The government have made noises about exempting people with life-long conditions from repeat testing for ESA. As far as PIP is concerned, the legislation doesn't actually require everyone to have a face to face assessment, but as Matilda says, the majority of claims do have one and there isn't anything specific to prevent this.

    You've done the right thing in contacting your MP.  We really do need to get this changed so that people are not required to have stressful and pointless repeat assessments in circumstances like yours. For the time being however, I'm afraid the law is as outlined above.

    WIll
    The Benefits Training Co:

  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering
    Thanks for that Will regarding DL1500, I did take your advise to contact MP x 3,they but x1 have contacted me and been very supportive,as you say everyone ought to at least try and contact x1 or more ,it actually could bring about changes to this terrible system and to be more out in the open and spoken about in the news etc! or even have documentaries made from the disabled point of view having to go to these assessments,there's hardly any discussions about this .I will not watch anything now on TV about who they call the scroungers,such as Life on the Dole etc! They are biased TV makers,who look at these programmes  from an elitist point of view.   
  • Nystagmite
    Nystagmite Community member Posts: 596 Pioneering
    My MP was useless. Told me to stop taking Atos' letter literally. (they said they'd be here between 9 and 11 and the appointment would last 60 minutes) He also ignored my last email where I'd asked for his help in regards to my reconsideration. Thankfully, that did get sorted.

    I have a feeling he's all for these cuts whilst claiming all his expenses.
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    @jose2

    Thank you very much.

    PIP is a nightmare. I try to switch off as far as possible. Tribunal hearings only last about 40 minutes so fairly limited time for an inquisition!

    I think if I'd been asked by an assessor to stand on my tiptoes I 'd have been tempted to try and then collapse on the joker!

    Where are you with your claim?









  • Nystagmite
    Nystagmite Community member Posts: 596 Pioneering
    I would have refused to stand on my tip toes. Aside from the fact that it'll make me fall over, what exactly does this prove? 
  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering
    Hi @Matilda  and @Nystagmite ,aha ha !,think they are just trying every trick in the book,I looked at my assessor at some of the questions she asked me as though she came from another planet!,as one of my sons said once 'my Mum can kill with a look at 100 feet'!, perhaps I gave her few of those looks.I'd have said to her if she'd  ask me to stand on my tip-toes, sorry I haven't brought my ballet shoes with me today!!! 'that have been my kicker Matilda.
    @Matilda ,As you I have had a bad 2 months of this, though not as long as you ,I did it on my own ,other than help from McMillan,my info was sent to Medical Team at Atos,some of the information was not considered at first or not seen,I was writing letters ,etc!,I had loads of letters c/o all appointments and results I had been to over last 5/8 years,(just by luck I never throw anything like that away) I was even going to pay for all my medical records for last 10 years if I had to from my Dr's or hospital. Then after 1st assessment, and asking for a MR and it been turned down ,put in for an appeal,and 2 months later letter arrived completely out of the blue saying I'd had my MR looked at again and been awarded enhanced for my mobility,I was floored,though still unsure how to take it ,left a bit of a sour taste,as to why was all the information I gave and sent them not even considered in and at first assessment .
    I'm so sorry you had a bad experience from your MP @Nystagmite,and of course everybody takes it literally the letter from Atos,it our independance they are trying to banish us of.
    Makes you wonder who to vote for.           
     

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